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WEALTH CREATION

SEMBABULE - President Yoweri Museveni on Friday (May 24, 2024) challenged the leadership of the three arms of government to help him preach the wealth creation gospel to Ugandans as he has been doing for many years.

He did so by presenting accountability in the form of testimonies of achievements registered by farmers — who followed his guidance — in Gomba and Sembabule districts.

“We, the people of Kisozi, have decided to invite you to share with you our line of thinking, which is the line of NRM," said Museveni.

"Some people were fighting Sarah Nalwanga [project coordinator]. I told them that this is not Nalwanga’s project but my project. Nalwanga now runs a nursery bed of coffee and fruit seedlings so that we distribute them to more people then we can add other things later."

The President was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni.

The gathering was a special public rally held at Kisozi Primary School in Gomba district.

Museveni said poverty eradication is only possible if leaders lead by example.

He said the whole cattle corridor has similar success stories, right from Isingiro, Mbarara, Kiruhura, Lyantonde, Sembabule, Gomba, Kyakwanzi, Kiboga, Ngoma and Masindi.

The challenge now, Museveni said, is to encourage dairy farmers to adopt the zero-grazing method as opposed to free grazing.

“In Uganda, you need to have three-and-a-half square miles to keep 1000 cows. You may not have that type of land, so we said 'No, you do dairy farming'. 

"In 1989, we started doing dairy farming and by 1995 it worked in Nyabushozi and in the cattle corridor. It spread like a wildfire.

“You remember I did the countrywide tour, I saw it was working. I reached everywhere and I thought it could catch on. In 2018, I distributed this booklet, the four sectors and seven activities for wealth creation but at the same time I used the method of working with people near me."

One of the farmers, Yusuf Ssuuna, 85, a resident of Lutunka A zone in Kawanda sub-county in Ssembabule district grows coffee, bananas, and other seasonal food crops and rears a few cattle. 

His wife, Saidati Nakaweesi, 54, who speaks for him, says they bought five acres and settled in the area in 1988. 

They planted one acre of coffee and the rest was for growing food crops like maize. But later, President Yoweri Museveni organized training and each resident was asked to choose an enterprise. They chose coffee and were supplied with seedlings, each year. 

Nakaweesi said from the sale of coffee, the couple has bought more land and now do farming on 20 acres. 

The family has been earning sh10m from 60 bags of coffee per year for sh5,000 or sh6,000 per bag but with the current coffee price boom of sh10,500 per bag, they earn sh30m. 

In 2011, President Museveni began providing cows, goats, coffee seedlings, piglets, banana tissues, chickens, money, and other commodities to households in nine communities in Gomba and Sembabule districts to increase income and improve their livelihoods. 

The villages that benefited are Kirasi, Kisozi A, Kisozi B, and Kajumiro (all in Gomba) and Obutugu, Lutunku A, Lutunku B, Kasozi, and Kikuumadungu in Sembabule district.

Take a look at more pictures from the day, taken by Eddie Ssejjoba:
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The President was accompanied by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni.

The President drives and leaves the venue after the ceremony. 

Uganda's Vice-President Maj. (rtd) Jessica Alupo was in attendance.

Speaker of Parliament Anita Among and her deputy Thomas Tayebwa were also present.

(L-R) Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, and Uganda's Vice-President Maj. (rtd) Jessica Alupo.

Seated and listening to the President's speech is Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja (L) and the former Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda (R).

Youth and children affairs state minister Balaam Barugahara.

Speaker Among and her deputy Tayebwa

Vice President Alupo speaks  to the press.

Senior government officials led by Vice President Alupo, Speaker Among and her deputy Tayebwa as they waited for the President's arrival.

Vice President interviews some of the farmers.

Security minister, who is also the Rukungiri district National Resistance Movement party chairperson, Jim Muhwezi (L).

The Minister of Agriculture, Animal industry and Fisheries, Frank Tumwebaze (L) and other official listen to the President's speech.

Environment state minister Beatrice Anywar (R) was in attendance.

Speaker Among (L) and Vice President Alupo (R) on arrival.

President Yoweri Museveni arrives, standing on the left is the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Janet Museveni.

Lt. Gen. Proscovia Nalweyiso, Presidential advisor on military matters was also in attendance.

Progressive farmers from the nine villages of Sembabule and Gomba districts gave their testimonies during the gathering.

Some of the coffee harvested by farmers from their model farms, minister Balaam was among the ministers who witnessed the harvested coffee.

Government officials tour model farms.

Officials, residents listen to the President's speech.